Endless Love
by kurbyjoon
Summary: Bella has had a mental breakdown and jumps at the chance to become the manager of a new Bed & Breakfast in Maine. What she finds at her new job will either push her completely over the edge, or make her realize that nothing can separate true love.
1. Chapter 1

**I'm trying something a bit different for this story. It's a paranormal (no vampires) and it's starting in third person POV. It's rated M, but _that_ action won't happen for a few more chapters. **

** Summary: Bella has had a mental breakdown and jumps at the chance to become the manager of a new Bed & Breakfast in Maine. What she finds at her new job will either push her completely over the edge, or make her realize that nothing can separate true love.**

**Chapter One**

The tugging feeling in her belly got stronger as she bumped down the long driveway that was desperately in need of repaving. She was nervous of course, who isn't nervous on the first day of any new job? But she was also excited. This was her new beginning and she was going to make the most of it. Fresh starts weren't just handed out like stripper club flyers in Vegas. She was going to grab this opportunity with both hands and prove to everyone that she wasn't a hopeless case. Even more important was to prove that to herself. That was really where she was having the most trouble. She no longer had faith in her own abilities.

Through the overgrown shrubbery lining the skinny road she could see snatches of white, Heron's Landing, her new home as well as workplace. She could feel the sweat dampening the palms she clenched tightly on the steering wheel. This was it. Her new life started now. There was no room in it for weakness. She was in charge and it was her responsibility to bring this inn to life.

She gasped as the entire building came into view. Its imposing façade was more impressive in person than in any of the pictures she'd been sent. Grand, in a dilapidated way. She could see, even in the waning light of early evening, that it could use a fresh coat of paint, but to Bella it was glorious. Three stories of windows looked back at her, unblinking under a rust colored roof. Not even the unkempt front gardens could take away from the arresting picture it presented.

As she pulled up to the front of the house, she couldn't help but be charmed by the circular drive that went right past the front entrance. She could imagine carriages pulling up under the overhang held up by massive columns of stone, dropping off ladies in ball gowns and men in smart nineteenth century attire. She stopped the car well back from the door, fully aware that she was here to work, not dance. There was a lot to be done and she was the person hired to do it. There would be time for daydreaming later.

Sudden silence greeted her as she turned off the engine of her small SUV. She hadn't even realized she'd had the music blaring in the background until it wasn't there anymore. That was another thing she was going to have to work on, keeping her focus in the present. She had people counting on her again, so it was actually a necessity. Well, she could only add it to her ever-growing list of personal changes. At least here, 2500 miles from Texas, she could concentrate on herself without any well meaning counselors or patronizing doctors breathing down her neck and trying to keep her of sound mind. Why didn't they realize that those things only made her feel more paranoid? No, here she would be in total control of herself and her environment. Deep down she knew that once she got settled and into a routine, things would smooth out. They had to. She refused to consider the alternative.

Grabbing the door handle and taking a deep breath to steady herself, she pushed open the door and stepped out into her new life. _I__'__m __an __innkeeper_. She just needed to keep telling herself that. This is what she had trained for. She knew what she needed to do. She was hired to do a job she was going to be the best damn manager this place had ever seen. Okay, the only manager this place had seen. This had been a private home until recently.

Now that she was out of the car and could really take in the place, she could see some other things that needed to be taken care of, but she would take stock tomorrow. Right now, the smell of the ocean and the feel of the cool, moist wind on her face reminded her that Maine was a different world from small town Texas. She shivered and pulled her brown hoodie together at the front. The house was dark and she needed to get in and get settled before she lost all natural light.

Bending back into the front seat to get her purse with the keys she felt the familiar sensation of being watched crawl up her spine. She jerked back up, banging her head on the roof of the car before spinning around. _Not __now.__Not __here. __There __was __nobody __watching __her.__No __one __even __knew __she __was __here._She wasn't expected until tomorrow, but she was so anxious to get here she had made the drive in three days instead of four. She suddenly wished she had stuck to her original plan and would have arrived in the early afternoon tomorrow instead of getting here half an hour before dark. Another bad decision. She was full of them but she refused to let her paranoia chase her away from a chance at a new life.

She briefly considered getting back in the car and staying at the motel she had passed about almost fifteen miles back in the tiny town she had driven through. That was the smart choice considering she didn't have food or any other staples. She didn't even know if there was toilet paper in the bathrooms. _What __the __hell __had __she __been __thinking?_ This was exactly the kind of thing her parents had worried about. They didn't think she could take care of herself anymore. She refused to believe what everyone thought; she wasn't crazy.

On that thought, she slammed the door of her car and started up the path to the front door of Heron's Landing. Focusing on the gravel crunching under her feet kept her from turning back to the car and driving away. _Get __a __grip, __girl._She knew she wasn't going to leave here tonight even though her mind was screaming at her to do just that. That strange tugging sensation that got stronger every mile she drove to get here was more compelling than ever. It felt almost as powerful as the first time she had opened the email that contained the pictures of this place. Something had seemed to leap out and pull her here. Well, here she was and there was no going back. She had given her word in the form of a signed contract. If she didn't follow through now, she would never be able to work in hospitality again. She knew the cloud surrounding her exit from Raoul's would haunt her prospects forever; the world of boutique hotels was surprisingly smaller than most people realized. If she blew this opportunity she might as well go back to school to become a math teacher. Even as the thought came she shuddered. No freakin' way was she going to mess this up.

She was supposed to meet someone named Edward, but that wasn't until tomorrow. Bella figured he was the property manager, but she didn't know that for sure. The actual details of the job were still a little hazy. To be truthful, she hadn't given a second thought about taking this job. She'd snatched it up as soon as it was offered. Every instinct she had told her to go for it since there was nothing holding her in Texas or anywhere.

She was at the front door before she had dug the keys out of the padded envelope they had arrived in. After extracting the small ring of keys she fanned through looking for the one labeled "Front Door" in an elegant script. There was nothing stopping her from inserting it into the lock but still she hesitated. An invisible barrier seemed to push out from the house but at the same time she had the feeling that she was being pulled into whatever lay beyond the door. _This __kind __of __thinking __was __what __made __people __think __she __was __unbalanced. __One __of __the __things, __anyway._ That thought made her shove the key into the door before she had a chance to talk herself out of it. The lock turned smoothly and she was able to push the door inward and step inside.

Surprise had her smiling in delight. The entryway looked beautiful and spotlessly clean. She walked further in, still clutching the keys, but no longer feeling the need to turn tail and run away. She moved to a small table to her right against the wall and couldn't help her automatic finger swipe to check for dust. There wasn't a speck. It was as if someone had come in earlier in the day to clean up for her arrival. Awesome for her, but she was under the impression that the place had been practically abandoned. All of her internet research hadn't turned up any information on this place, but it wasn't all that surprising given that the previous owners had been elderly. The current owner had purchased the property as an investment with no intention of living there or running the inn. That's where she came in. Apparently, the new owner had somehow gotten her name from one of her former instructors. Unusual, but not unheard of.

The timing of the employment offer couldn't have been better as far as she was concerned. She was more than ready to get out from under the watchful eyes of her parents as well as everybody else in Riverdale. She knew everyone from the checkout girls at the grocery store to the bank tellers was waiting for her to have a meltdown right in front of them. Hoping for it most likely. She wasn't blind and she could see how they watched her out of the corner of their eyes as she went about her day. What the hell did they think she was going to do, drop to the floor and rock back and forth? Small-town assholes. She was glad to be out of there, but she traded a small town for a tiny one. Heron's Landing wasn't even officially _in_ a town. It was miles up the coast from the nearest incorporated village. _Perfect._

Walking farther into the room, Bella felt her confidence grow with every step. This place was absolutely lovely. It wasn't the stuffy, faded building she was expecting. The furnishings in the living room/lobby were crisp and on the modern side. Nothing tattered or worn, or even especially old, now that she was taking a proper look. It made her wonder if the new owner had upgraded the furniture before finding her.

The farther inside she walked, the dimmer the light got, so she kept to the edges of the room, searching for a light switch. Seconds later her hand grazed over a panel and with a swipe, several lights came to life in various rooms of the first floor. Well lit, the rooms looked even more amazing and welcoming. A sense of rightness came over her as she gazed at the room. For the first time in what seemed like forever, she felt at home. More comfortable in this space than she had been in her parent's house, the house she had grown up in.

_Mine._ She felt a sense of possession for the first time in her adult life. Her old apartment had never given her this sensation, and she had lived there for almost three years. Bella turned to her right and was greeted by a room with a huge dining table. It wasn't set for service, but it gleamed under the light of the two simple but elegant chandeliers overhead. Wow.

The door on the other side of the dining room had glass panels through which she could see the stainless steel of a professional kitchen. She walked over to the sheer curtains hanging at the windows and watched the last rays of sunlight go out for the night. She knew that less than a hundred yards away were the craggy cliffs she had noticed in the photographs, a gray wall that held back the ocean. A sudden icy chill gripped her, and she forced herself to jerk away from the window. She took another deep breath and mentally shook herself. Getting spooked at the unknown was part of her old life, not this one.

Instead of continuing in this direction or even looking at the rest of the bottom floor she realized she needed to get her things out of the car before it was too dark and she holed up inside. As she rushed back out the front door that she had left standing open she became conscious of the fact that she didn't feel the fear that had been plaguing her for months. The fear of being perceived as mentally unbalanced. The fear of going to sleep because of the same recurring dream that she couldn't escape. The fear of being forced into more psychological treatment that didn't help.

Bella snatched up the duffle she'd kept packed up for weeks, unconsciously ready to bolt at any time. It contained everything she could imagine needing if she had to make a fast escape. She could finally admit to herself that she would have left her parent's home even if she hadn't had the job offer. The atmosphere had been stifling, and every instinct she possessed had been leading her away from the place she had spent most of the last twenty five years.

She left the rest of her things in the car and hurried back to the house, thankful that the lights were glowing on the first floor. It felt good to be able to close the door to the damp darkness of the night. She leaned against the door and her eyes were drawn to the top of the grand staircase she had barely noticed before. She was both excited and terrified of this new chapter in her life, but she felt a sense of acceptance that had been missing up to this point. She was finally home.

**I love reviews, but I won't hold my updates hostage for them. But seriously, I looove reviews!**


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter Two

The creaking floor had Bella's eyes popping open. It sounded as if the noise was coming from right above her. Was there someone inside the house with her? She hadn't thought so, but she also didn't check every room when she'd come upstairs earlier. She had been so spent by the time she dragged her bag upstairs that she hadn't even bothered to shower before stripping off her jeans and hoodie and diving under the welcoming quilt that covered the four poster bed.

She pulled that same quilt up to her head, leaving only her eyes exposed. She held her breath as the silence settled back over the old structure. Maybe she had imagined it; first night in a new house, and all. Bella slowly exhaled and tried to loosen the muscles of her shoulders. Why hadn't she left a light on up here?

She had to stop freaking out. She let the quilt slide down a fraction, just enough to uncover her nose. Everything was all right. She took a deep breath and forced herself to relax. Okay, she was okay. She had just gotten her breathing under control when she heard the sound of a floorboard groan under the weight of something heavy. _It __was __right __outside __her __door!_

Everything inside her wanted to let out a scream, but there was nobody around to hear her but whoever was in the hallway. A terror like she'd never felt enveloped her and she jerked the covers over her head as if she were a child. Children seemed to have the right idea about sounds in the night. Monsters were real, even if they only inhabited your mind. She remained under the safety of the quilt until she couldn't keep herself awake any longer, and prayed that she would make it until morning.

The next thing she knew, she was waking up to sunlight streaming over her face. The events of last night might never have happened—except she knew that they had. Her heart began to pound as she forced her sleep heavy body out of the bed. She gave herself a mental shake. Her focus needed to be on the inn. This was the opportunity of a lifetime and she wasn't going to do anything to mess it up. She vowed to sleep in another room tonight, the coziness that she'd felt briefly last night was already spoiled in her mind. Pity. It was nice to wake up to warm sunshine.

Bella grabbed the jeans she had left crumpled on the floor and pulled them on quickly before making her way to the connected bathroom. She desperately needed a shower, she had driven over 800 miles yesterday and felt the grubbiness of the road sticking to her skin, but her mind pulled her directly to the shower scene in _Psycho._ That movie had taken place in an old motel and the parallels were not lost on her. She opted to brush her teeth-with the door open-and pull her long brown hair into a ponytail.

She stared at her reflection in the small oval mirror above the sink. Her eyes appeared sunken in her pale face, no doubt the result of too many sleepless nights, but at least she had gained back most of the fifteen pounds she had lost after "the incident." The food at Whispering Pines had been okay, it was being held prisoner in a mental institution that had her dropping weight at a speed she knew some people would mortgage their homes for.

She splashed some cold water on her face to perk herself up. The only good thing about spending most of the night awake was absence of dreams. And nightmares. With a nod to her reflection, she went back into the bedroom and put on her running shoes, ready to take stock of the rest of the house. She was going to check every nook and cranny to make sure that she was alone here, and if not alone, at least find out who she was dealing with.

On her way back down the stairs, she was able to appreciate the building in the morning light. It was more beautiful than she had hoped; the pictures she'd seen hadn't done it justice. She realized that she was smiling, something she wasn't accustomed to, at least in recent memory. Her life was already better, and it hadn't even been one day.

First on the agenda, food. She would probably have to drive back into town, but she was hoping to dig up something in the kitchen. Even stale crackers were better than nothing, but she wasn't holding her breath for that; she wasn't that lucky. She made her way through the dining room and pushed open the swinging door before stopping in her tracks. The smell of freshly brewed coffee hit her nostrils at the same moment her eyes zeroed in on a half-filled coffee pot.

_There __really __was __someone __here!_ Would a murderer brew coffee before killing her? Bella forced her heartbeat to slow. Of course not. This was probably the caretaker's handiwork. Maybe he or she had noticed Bella's arrival last night.

As badly as she wanted a shot of caffeine, she wasn't going to drink anything that she didn't make herself. Irrational? Probably, and Bella acknowledged that "they" had been right in their assessment of her condition. She'd been suffering from paranoia.

Before she could take another step farther into the room, the sound of a male voice had her swinging around.

"Hello?"

For a moment, Bella considered not answering and sneaking out of the kitchen somehow, but being unfamiliar with the layout of the house made her think better of it. She was here to do a job, and she couldn't afford to mess this up. She had nowhere to go but back to her parents, and frankly, that thought was more abhorrent than facing a stranger miles from civilization.

"I'm in the kitchen," she called out before she could change her mind. A second later the door swung open and a man with dark bronze hair entered. When he looked up and met her eyes, she felt as if she'd been punched in the stomach.

"Oh no," she managed to whisper before everything went black.

**Yes, the prose is choppy. Yes, it's supposed to be that way. Bella's thoughts are disjointed right now, but they won't stay that way, I promise. Oh, and from this point on the story will be in first person. It's important that you get to see inside of Bella's mind as Bella and not an observer. :)**


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter Three**

"Ms. Swan. Ms. Swan." I looked up at the eyes I knew as well as my own. For a moment, the man looked so real it seemed that I could touch him. His face was as chiseled as always, but his hair was all wrong. I tried to force myself awake. It worked sometimes, but unfortunately it wasn't right now.

"Ms. Swan can you hear me?"

This dream was the most powerful one I had ever had. I could actually smell the faint smell of soap on his skin. I focused on his face. It seemed older, somehow. The dreams were getting out of hand again, and the sick feeling of dread that I was experiencing was directly related to the knowledge of my imminent return to the hospital. He touched my face and his hand was warm. A second later he tapped lightly on my cheek. I blinked as I suddenly realized that I _was_ awake, and had just fainted on the floor of the inn's kitchen.

"I'm okay." I was already feeling better. The light-headedness had already dissipated and I could see more than just his face.

He looked at me curiously. "Have we met before?"

Oh my god! _He could feel it, too!_ "Anthony?" It came out in an awe-filled whisper.

He shook his head. "Edward. Edward Masen."

Of course he wasn't Anthony. Anthony wasn't even real. As I let that thought sink in, something else struck me. "Edward Masen? The writer?" My mind stuttered in confusion. Why would Edward Masen be at my new job? Was the new owner accepting bookings? I was meeting someone named Edward today. Was Edward Masen the caretaker?

"I'm Isabella Swan. I'm the new manager here."

"I know. I hired you."

I searched my mind to recall any mention of Mr. Masen. I couldn't think of a single instance. "I'm sorry. I don't remember seeing that." I wanted to slap myself to not doing a more thorough research of my potential job.

"I was trying to keep my name out of it. It's crazy the number of people who will flock to you when you're "famous." He supplied the air quotes. I didn't think he needed them. He _was_ famous.

I nodded even though I had absolutely no idea of how it felt to be famous. Id' grown up in a town so small it celebrated the fact that a football player from the 70s, had lived in town one year during high school. It occurred to me, suddenly, that I had just panicked and passed out in front of my new employer. He was also a famous mystery writer who just happened to look like the man I had been dreaming about for the past several years. I was ready to crawl in a hole and hide from the world.

"Do you think you can stand? We should get you off of the floor."

"I'm fine, really. You just surprised me. I don't usually go around fainting at the sight of people." I tried to downplay my episode.

He stood up and walked over to the large commercial sized refrigerator, grabbing a bottle off of the door.

"Here." He held a water out to me and I took it gratefully. I couldn't even remember the last time I'd had something to drink. Yesterday afternoon, probably. I was glad my mother wasn't here to shake her head over the fact that I wasn't taking good care of myself. "I'll be right back." He turned and went back out of the room.

I waited until the door swung closed behind him before chugging down half of the bottle. I pulled myself up and leaned against the counter. I was determined that I would make a better impression on Mr. Masen when he came in. I still knew what I was doing as far as hospitality was concerned.

The door pushed open and I was struck again by Mr Masen's eyes. Those were Anthony's eyes.

"Mr. Masen, I just wanted to apologize again…"

"No need. And call me Edward, I can't stand formality." He smiled and my stomach fluttered. I did my best to tamp down a host of strange feelings. I wasn't even sure what I was feeling; a tug of familiarity ran alongside strong attraction, but I wasn't sure if I was attracted to Mr. Masen-Edward, or it was the lover in my dreams.

"Edward. Thank you. I want you to know how excited I am to help get this place up and running. From what I've seen so far, everything looks great. I was surprised, actually." And disappointed. I had been looking forward to setting the décor. I had catalogs and reference magazines in a box in my car, just waiting for me to peruse and choose the style and thereby the tone of Heron's Landing. I hadn't seen any herons yet, but the house looked like an old but majestic mansion to me. It needed spaces to reflect the worn grandeur of the place.

"The furniture is new. I had it delivered a few days ago. I just got the basics for the front rooms, but all of the bedrooms are empty. Well, except for the room you slept in last night and my room. The rest of the guest rooms are all yours to design."

So _he_ had been the one outside my door last night. Relief washed over me as I realized last night wasn't a figment of my imagination—or a ghost. My next feeling was one of pleasure at the confirmation that I'd be able to put my own ideas of welcoming elegance to the test.

My stomach grumbled loudly in the quiet space. I grimaced in embarrassment, but Mr. Masen quickly spoke up.

"Help yourself to anything. The place is stocked with everything we need, or so the cleaning service said."

I walked over to the fridge and pulled out a strawberry yogurt. I made my way through the kitchen, pulling open drawers until I found a spoon. I was so engrossed in my task, I completely forgot that I wasn't alone.

"After you get settled, I'll give you the tour."

I jumped as I heard Anthony's voice behind me. I spun around and saw the hair and remembered that this was Mr. Masen. Mr. Masen didn't have dark blonde hair.

"That would be great." I walked to the small table in front of a picture window that framed the ocean. The sight was so beautiful it constricted my throat and caused my eyes to prick with tears. I felt such a deep connection to the sight in front of me, I felt I could have lived here all of my life. "It's stunning."

"I don't know. Sometimes I look at it and it gives me the creeps."

"Are you living here?"

"For now. I have an apartment in New York, but I grew up right down the road. I wanted this place my whole life. I used to visit Mr. and Mrs. Cullen with my parents when I was a kid. I always vowed that someday I would live here. Now I am." He didn't sound as happy as one should be at the attainment of a childhood dream, but I didn't know him at all, and I didn't feel right asking him any personal questions. Instead, I finished off my yogurt and pulled a banana out of the bowl on the table. The whole time I sat there, Mr. Masen stared out of the window in silence. He was giving _me _the creeps.

I stood and threw away my cup and peel. Might as well get this new job awkwardness out of the way so that I could get down to business. "All right, Mr. Masen, I'm ready for the tour." I wasn't sure of what to make of him, yet, and I was a little freaked out about his resemblance to Anthony, but I wanted this to work out more than I had wanted anything before.

**The story isn't all that long so I've decided to post it in tiny chapters. Also, I would normally have responded to the comments, but FF wasn't letting me reply and I was too frustrated to do it through PMs. I hope everyone had a Happy Thanksgiving (in the U.S.) and I hope everyone else is just thankful for all of the awesome things we have (like the internet and wonderful friends). **


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter Four**

"This is the only floor that I want the guest rooms located."

I'd followed Mr. Masen through the downstairs spaces, noting with surprise an actual ballroom and a library with a respectable number of books.

Now we were on the second floor and I was surprised to find there were only four guest suites; I'd guessed at least double that. I realized that I really didn't know much about the place at all. I had taken the job offer without asking even the most basic questions. I had acted on pure instinct. No wonder my mother had been so apprehensive. I couldn't help the wave of anxiousness that swept me. _What __was __the __matter __with __me?_ Had I lost all sense of self-preservation?

"Nothing on the third floor?"

"That's were my rooms are, and yours. I'm not expecting huge crowds, but I do want to give other people the chance to enjoy this place."

I nodded even as I experienced a wave of disappointment. This wasn't going to be much of a hotel. I foresaw myself spending a lot of time alone. We got to the end of the hallway and I trailed into the room after him. It felt like the breath was sucked out of me. I _knew_ this room. I turned a half circle, searching for the window seat I was sure would be in the corner. It was there. My heart thumped so loudly I could hear it in the quiet room.

"Did you include a picture of this room with the photos you sent me?" It was the only explanation for this overwhelming sense of déjà vu.

He shook his head. "It's a great room, though."

"I need to get out of here." I could barely get the words out over the lump in my throat. I was flooded with despair and on the verge of tears. I pushed past Mr. Masen and fled to the hallway before it dawned on me that I just overreacted to another situation. I felt sick with the realization that I wasn't ready for a job, yet. My parents and everyone else had been right. I needed more treatment. There was no more denying it.

"Ms. Swan, are you okay?"

I wanted to tell him that I was fine, but I knew that the time had come for me to be honest. "I'm sorry, Mr. Masen, but I have to tell you something. I have a mental illness and I should probably get back on my meds."

His eyes widened in surprise. "What kind of mental illness?" This was the first time anyone had asked me directly in the past two years. He stood there, waiting for an aswer while I deliberated about what to tell him.

"I have the symptoms of PTSD, except that I didn't have a trauma. Don't worry, It's not like I'll try to kill you in the middle of the night." Just myself. I didn't add that out loud.

He waited for me to say more, and I don't know what made me verbalize it, but I couldn't stop myself.

"I have dreams. Mostly nightmares, and they're horrible. Guns. Screaming. Blood. Falling…you know, the typical. Oh, and I'm also paranoid." Edward didn't even blink. I wanted to keep talking. It felt so good to be able to spill my guts to someone, anyone. I didn't have any friends left. The few that would actually still call me were becoming more distant. I was alienating every person around me. I knew that even my parents were tired of having their sleep interrupted nightly by my screaming and thrashing. The only times I slept through the night were the nights I was heavily medicated. Along with the dreamlessness came days spent in a stupor, unable to _think_. I wasn't sure if it was a blessing or a curse. "I always feel like someone is watching me." I hadn't felt truly alone in a very long time.

I could see Mr. Masen digesting this information. I was waiting for him to tell me that my services wouldn't be needed. I braced for it even though I was out of options. This was my fresh start and it wasn't even going to last a day.

"Okay. Are you up for finishing the tour?"

He still wanted me to work here? I couldn't believe my good fortune. I nodded and we looked at two more empty rooms without incident.

"Up here is the private part of the house." I wished that I had brought my notebook on the walk-through. I was already teeming with ideas for every room we had visited. "These are my rooms." He opened the door to the left and perfunctually gave it a wave before walking across the landing. "This is yours."

I walked into a room with two walls of arched windows. A tiny wooden table sat in one corner, but otherwise the room was empty. "I have the furniture people bringing you a bed today. I wasn't expecting you until later."

"Yeah, I was pretty anxious to get here." Understatement. I gave him a wry smile and experienced the strangest pulling sensation in my stomach. I felt the connection that had first reared its head at our first meeting. I was standing with Anthony. I wanted to run into his arms and feel him wrap himself around me. If he would just hold me, that strange, empty feeling would disappear.

I turned away from his face to break the connection and took stock of the room. It was painted a crisp white, but I could imagine it a soothing pastel blue. This space was an artist's hidey-hole replete with a turret in the corner. For a moment I let myself fantasize about the room. The picture in my mind was so clear I was posititve that I could smell the sharp aroma of turpentine hanging in the air. I shook off the thought. I wasn't an artist and never had been. I wasn't even exactly sure what turpentine smelled like.

"I love it." I said the words to Mr. Masen, but it felt like I was talking to someone else. Like I had spoken the words before, right here.

"Anything for you."

_What?_

He seemed to startle and looked at me intently. My stomach tightened into a knot and as suddenly as a snap, I was back in the present, standing in an empty room.

"If you'll excuse me, I have to take care of something. If I don't see you again today, just take matters into your own hands. There's plenty of spaces that need attention." With that he strode out the door. Two minutes later the sound of a car engine revving outside had me walking to the window in time to see a silver car jetting down the driveway and out of sight.

I took the opportunity to go down to my own car and unload my meager possessions. Short sleeved tees and Capri pants were not going to carry me through very much of the Maine autumn. It was already colder than I had been expecting. Just another thing I hadn't anticipated.

I stowed everything in my new room before pulling out my measuring tape and graph paper. I busied myself with taking the dimensions of the downstairs rooms. I was so engrossed in my thoughts that the sound of the doorbell pulled me out of my "zone."

I was pleased to see the delivery guys with my new bed. By the time they were gone and the new bedding was washed, it was dark outside, but there was still no Mr. Masen. I felt relieved instead of abandoned.

I heated a can of vegetable soup and ate it standing at the counter in the kitchen before going upstairs and taking a much-needed shower. I could hardly keep my eyes open by the time I crawled into bed. The weeks of no sleep finally caught up with me, and felt myself go under.

_Gunfire rent the air and all I could do was crouch down lower against the fallen log. Right beside me I felt the zing of a bullet a second before my best friend's neck exploded into a red cloud._

"_No! No! Emmett!" A shooting paid began to radiate into my chest and I looked down to see a gaping wound in my torso. _

"_Marie..." I managed to gasp out before my world went to black._

_**Almost there! I can't keep them apart any longer, Bella's mental well being depends on it. **  
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	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter Five**

"Wake up. Wake up, Isabella, you're safe. It was just a dream."

"But Emmett," I sobbed. Emmett was dead and nothing would ever be right or normal again.

I pulled away from the arms encircling me and opened my eyes into the gloom of a darkened bedroom. My heart was still thumping and I put my hand to my chest to make sure that there wasn't a wound pouring blood. It only took a second to realize I had been having another bad dream and I was embarrassed that my new boss was comforting me in the dark.

"I'm sorry, Mr. Masen. I didn't mean to disturb your sleep."

"Call me Edward, and don't sweat it." He leaned over and switched on the new lamp on my new bedside table and flooded the room with a warm glow. I was safe, tucked into a bed in Maine. "It's just a dream. They can't hurt us."

My gaze shot up to meet his in surprise. "Do you see them? Did you see Emmett?"

"I have, yes." It seemed like the words were forced out of him.

"What about Marie? Do you see her, too?"

A change seemed to come over him, then. "We can't talk about that right now."

I tried to tell him that is was past time to discuss what was happening. That my entire life had been ruined because of these stupid and horrible dreams, but he put his hand over mine and gave it a squeeze. "Can you trust me for now? I promise I will explain everything I know, but not right now."

_Trust him?_ I didn't even know him, but I looked into his eyes and agreed to put my questions on the back burner.

I nodded and looked around the room. I wanted to get out of here; it didn't feel like this was _my_ room.

"Do you want some coffee? That usually keeps me alert until morning." I gasped as his words sunk in._ He had these dreams, too! _Without another word, I stood up and followed Edward down the stairs.

Even with all of the weirdness going on, I was still struck by how comfortable I felt in the house. I found myself moving through the rooms as if I had done it a thousand times. Even with my throat was still clogged with tears, the spaces around me were almost soothing. I was jolted when we got to the kitchen and I encountered all brand-new things. I had half expected to see avocado green appliances, strange since I had never actually _seen_ green appliances outside of television.

I sat at the kitchen table and watched as Edward—I could actually think of him as Edward instead of Mr. Masen after the scene upstairs—ground the coffee and filled the pot. He stood in front of the machine without talking, and as soon as enough coffee dripped out to make two cups, he filled them and carried them to the table without a single word.

I couldn't take it another second. "What's going on? Why am I having these dreams?"

"I don't know, but I've been having them since I bought the house."

Hearing him say the words opened a floodgate inside me. "Who are these people? Everyone thinks I'm crazy. _I_ think I'm crazy. I can't sleep anymore." I felt the need to tell him _everything._ "Do you know that I was in a mental hospital?" I noticed the shock in his eyes. I guess his background check hadn't revealed that.

"It's because of the dreams. I tried to jump off of the roof of my last job. I was screaming for Anthony and a guest tackled me to the ground right before I jumped from six stories. I probably should have disclosed that before I accepted the job, and I'll understand if you don't want me working for you." I braced for him to tell me that he had to retract his job offer. I was disappointed about losing my fresh start, but I seriously couldn't blame him for terminating the contract. I had known that this could happen.

He should his head. "No. I'm not going to fire you. Something is happening that I can't explain." I waited for him to elaborate, but he didn't so I sat there and took a sip of my coffee. Things were so strange now; anything he said would make sense. I just needed answers.

"I don't know how much more I can take. I dread sleep, I always feel like someone is looking over my shoulder. I'm at the end of my rope." I was mortified to realize that I had tears running down my face, but I was so worn out from trying to suppress my "crazy" side, that even crying in front of a stranger wasn't the big deal it had been in my old life-the life where I had fun and friends, and I could sleep through the night. That life seemed so long ago that I couldn't even identify with it anymore.

Edward reached out and laid his hand palm-up in front of me. I don't know why, but I placed my own hand in his. He gave me a squeeze and I felt safer and more secure than I had felt in longer than I could recall.

We sat in silence until I felt a pulsing in my hand. I tried to draw away, but Edward tightened his grip and wouldn't release me. A shaft of fear went through me as I looked at his face. He seemed to change in front of my eyes and his voice cut right to the heart of me.

"Marie."

I jumped out of my seat and tried to pull my hand out of Edward's, but his grip was like iron.

"I'm Bella. Let me go!" I tugged but he wouldn't release me.

"I've been waiting for so long."

Oh god, this couldn't be happening. Maybe I was still dreaming. "I'm Bella. I'm Bella." I finally jerked my hand away and retreated to the other side of the room. Now what? I was in the middle of nowhere with a crazy person. I wondered if I could make it upstairs and to my phone before Edward caught me.

"Edward. Mr. Masen, please. You're scaring me."

His eyes cleared almost instantly and he blinked before getting to his feet. "I apologize, Isabella. I'm sorry for what just happened." He started to walk toward me and I panicked.

"Stay away from me!" I screeched at the top of my lungs.

"I can't."

**Bella has found herself in messed up situation. Is she crazy alone or does Edward have his own mental baggage?**

** Can't tell you, yet. :) **


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